Despite denials, there is no doubt that oil companies are quietly moving forward with a previous plan called “Trailbreaker” which would pump tar sands oil all the way from Alberta to Montreal to Portland, Maine.

From Montreal to Portland the tar sands oil would flow through an existing oil pipeline through the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont and the North Country of New Hampshire and past Sebago Lake in Maine. An “existing oil pipeline” — in Vermont? Who knew?

Wait, it’s worse. The pipeline crosses numerous rivers and streams, goes by Victory Bog, and it’s 60 years old. The owners of the pipeline (the parent company is Exxon Mobil) were cited by federal regulators in 2009 for failure to properly maintain the pipeline. So.

On Wednesday, Jan. 23, at noon on the bridge over the Connecticut River on Route 2 near Lancaster, N.H., delegations from Vermont and New Hampshire will join hands over the river for a peaceful protest against tar sands oil. The pipeline is 100 yards downstream from the bridge, and upstream from half of New England.